2 Snowy Weekends

Perhaps it is safe to say that the winter here in BC is just getting going? I've tried to make the most out of it by getting into the skimo (randonnee) race scene and giving it a go! The first was the 24hrs of Sunlight down in Colorado which went really well despite the altitude sufferfest. I then spent the following weekend playing in Squamish. Norm and I went for a tour up Mt.Baldwin on a gorgeous bluebird Sunday. This was a good few hours of touring up until we reached the ridge where we would enjoy fresh banana bread and some tea for lunch! Unbelievable views of the Tantalus Range, Sky Pilot, Co-Pilot and Diamond Head.

Last weekend, I was fortunate to have my best friend Jo accompany me on a power road trip out to Nelosn (interior of BC) so that I could give the ROAM Randonne Race a try. This is a quick sprint skimo at Whitewater Ski Resort as part of the Cold Smoke Festival. Try I did but with very little success. Jo and I left Whistler at 3pm, arrived into nelson at 2am, car camped in my subaru, awoke at 6am, coffee by 7am and I raced at 9am. Now, that is not why I sucked at this race (although I'd like to be able to say it was due to lack of sleep but for me, no sleep is apart of the AR game that I am only way too used to). I have no idea still (no results posted) on my overall placement but here is why this race was such a geat learning experience and why I am such a rookie:
1) everyone started off running in their skii's to start - not me!!! Endurance is my thing, not the 100m dash.

2) my rando skii's are great but I still don't have the right set up to pull my skins off without taking my skiis off - LOTS of time lost (oh, and we had to pull skins about 5x's)

3) Bloody nose at the top of summit#1 (yanked my skins off to hard and they rebounded into my face, leaving me gushing in blood all over the snow)

4) CRAZY descent on narly terrain - with rock hard-crap snow and me on skiis that I am not very good on, not a good combination. I lost tons of time here as I feared I was about to either blow out my ACL or else fly into a tree!

Anyway, I'm happy that Jo and I made the trip nonetheless. She is a such a trooper for being there for me all the time, driving into the wee hours of the night, getting no sleep and waiting for me at the finish line as I dragged my sorry butt across! THANKS Jo!

So I guess my conclusion is this: it's good to challenge yourself into new situations that are a bit scary and new!!! I will continue to select races and events and challenges that I have no idea what I am doing at and that I can walk away from and be proud that I undertook a new experience! This is what life is all about! If we don't, are we really seeing what we are capable of????? CHALLENGE BY CHOICE.